BEVERLY HILLS, November 17, (THEWILL) – Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, on Friday, attended a university graduation ceremony today, making a defiant first public appearance since the military takeover that appeared to signal the end of his 37-year reign.
Mugabe, 93, arrived at the ceremony in the capital Harare, wearing a blue and yellow academic gown and mortar board hat and sat in large wooden chair at the front the hall.
He was greeted by jubilation from the crowd as he declared the ceremony open.
THEWILL recalls that the generals took over late on Tuesday after Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa was sacked and Mugabe’s wife Grace emerged in prime position to succeed her husband.
It is believed that the military leadership is strongly opposed to Grace’s rise, while Mnangagwa has close ties to the defence establishment.
Mugabe and the army chiefs held talks on Friday as the takeover appeared to signal his imminent exit from office after 37 years in power since Zimbabwe won independence from Britain in 1980.
Mnangagwa, who is a leading candidate to succeed Mugabe, flew back to Harare on Thursday after fleeing the country when he was sacked last week.
However, Grace, is under house arrest, and her key political allies are in military custody.
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